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So I searched for a Panthers and Stadium thread and didn't find one. I think this is the most relatable thread.
There is a story up on the Business Journal from Tuesday regarding the need for a new Panthers stadium in the near future.
City manager: Next Panthers stadium will need state, county help
The Carolina Panthers will need a new stadium in the not-too-distant future and interim city manager Ron Kimble said Tuesday that when that day arrives, a combination of local and state government funds are all but certain to be needed.
He made that observation during a discussion with CBJ about his tenure and what is next for the city before he retires. Talks about a new stadium, if and when they happen, will come well after his interim tenure ends, Kimble told me.
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Looking ahead, he noted the agreement with the Carolina Panthers at BofA Stadium runs through 2023. Whether another agreement is negotiated will be up to his successor, Kimble said. The so-called hard tether in the contract that prevents the NFL team from leaving expires in 2019, but less-restrictive terms call for the Panthers to play at the uptown stadium through the 2022 season.
The team owns the stadium. It opened in 1996 and, despite the renovations, Kimble acknowledged Tuesday that NFL venues have shorter lives than they once did.
As long as Jerry Richardson owns the Panthers, he added, the team is all but guaranteed to remain in Charlotte and in its present home. Richardson turned 80 in July. His estate will sell the team within two years of his death.
So thinking about this over a 15 year window, which would put Richardson at 95, just what should Charlotte do with this situation? Does it find a way to build a new stadium around the same area to keep the 'sports district' going or should it move the stadium out of uptown to try and create a new stadium district?
Personally for me, as someone who was there for the before and after of Petco Park in San Diego, I would be in favor of moving the stadium somewhere NW of Uptown. From what I can tell is it's mostly light industrial and a stadium could be the anchor needed to bridge the gap between NoDa and Uptown.
This would also open up a massive amount of land in Uptown that could be used for more office/residential space that will be needed in the next 20 years.